


Trust is only Dangerous...

by HermitLibrary_Archivist



Category: Blake's 7
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Season/Series 03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-26
Updated: 2008-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-23 11:57:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4875964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HermitLibrary_Archivist/pseuds/HermitLibrary_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>by Philippa Watts (AKA Delmonica)</p><p>Tarrant's past catches up with him and makes an offer too good for even Avon to resist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trust is only Dangerous...

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Judith and Aralias, the archivists: This story was originally archived at [Hermit.org Blake's 7 Library](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Hermit_Library), which was closed due to maintenance costs and lack of time. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2015. We posted announcements about the move and emailed authors as we imported, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact us using the e-mail address on [Hermit.org Blake's 7 Library collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hermitlibrary/profile). 
> 
> This work has been backdated to 26th of May 2008, which is the last date the Hermit.org archive was updated, not the date this fic was written. In some cases, fics can be dated more precisely by searching for the zine they were originally published in on [Fanlore](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Main_Page).

Vila yawned.

He yawned so hard he saw spots before his eyes.

Only another thirty minutes to go on this watch. Then he could take great pleasure in kicking Tarrant out of bed and on to the flight deck before pouring himself a large drink and relaxing. Just have to stay awake until then. His eyelids felt heavy. Rest them for a moment...

It was the moving spot of light on the screen that caught his attention. Dammit, why hadn't he seen it earlier? And why hadn't Zen alerted him to it, anyway? He rubbed his eyes. Yes, the dot was still there.

`Zen, report.'

+Small craft has just moved within sensor range.+

`Why didn't you tell me about it earlier?'

+Sensors indicate its weapons capability is limited and may be non-functioning. Course and speed are commensurate with travel within this system only.+

Local traffic, then. Nothing to worry about. Vila yawned again and felt his eyelids start to close.

` _Liberator, this is Astral Cloud, do you copy? Astral Cloud calling Liberator. Respond, please.'_

Oh, great. Vila sighed and opened the communication channel.

`Astral Cloud, this is Liberator, we copy your signal. Identify yourself.'

The disembodied voice laughed. It was male, and sounded young and cocky. ` _Obviously Tarrant's not around, or you'd have detected us long before now. Permission to dock?_ '

`Permission denied. I repeat, identify yourself!' Vila was feeling crabby and uncooperative. And if these people knew Tarrant, he felt even less inclined to be nice to them.

Until a husky female voice glided its way over the comm system and into Vila's brain.

` _Tell Tarrant that Maya's come to call._ '   
    
 

`Who are they, Tarrant?' Avon stood staring at the image on Liberator's main viewer. It was a small, battered-looking cargo craft, obviously not designed for deep space travel.

`A blast from the past.' Tarrant's smile was broad and unchecked.

`Which is precisely what I shall do to them, if you don't stop being obtuse and explain what they're doing and how they know you're on this ship.'

`The second part's easy.' Tarrant was still smiling. `I spent some time in this system a year or two back. These guys are part of a small group of smugglers running an organised operation between a few planets in the system that are famously not speaking to each other. Very much small time, local stuff. I joined up with them for a while to fly a few missions, made some money, had some fun, but it ceased to be exciting after a couple of months, so I bailed out. Presumably word got back to them that I'd hooked up with you.' He turned to Avon. `You're quite famous you know. Or... at least, Blake was.'

Avon scowled, but didn't rise to the bait. `So what do they want?'

`How the hell should I know? Why don't you ask them?'

`Because I'm asking you. And who's this... Maya?'

Tarrant smiled in what can only be described as a knowing fashion. `Ah, you'll just have to meet her, won't you?' His tone then took on a businesslike quality. `Just give them permission to dock and let's see why they're here. They're no risk to us.'

`I'll give you that much.' Avon walked away from his position in front of the screen and paused on the steps towards the exit. `Do you trust them?'

`No. But then I don't trust you either.'

Avon smiled. `In that case, we'd better meet them, hadn't we? Tell them to hold position within range, and you and I will teleport over. Vila, tell Dayna to take over here and Cally can operate the teleport.'

`What about me?' Vila called out to the two disappearing figures.

`Go to bed!' Tarrant's voice came back from the corridor.

Vila smiled. At last, an order I don't mind carrying out.   
    
 

As Avon and Tarrant shimmered into view, guns drawn, they were greeted by the chuckling figure of a man standing behind a chair in which an attractive young woman was seated. They were on what passed for the flight deck, although Tarrant knew that the rest of the ship was merely storage for whatever passed for `cargo' at the time. It was small and cramped, and with the addition of two passengers they might just have to take turns breathing.

`Welcome, friends,' the man said. `It's good to see you again Tarrant, although you don't look that pleased to see us. Put your guns away and sit down, please.'

`Dro, you surely can't be surprised at my lack of trust. I know you.' Tarrant holstered his gun and sat on the seat offered to him, and Avon followed suit.

The man laughed. `You haven't changed a bit.'

`You must be Avon,' the young woman purred. `We've heard so much about you. You and your friend Blake are quite legendary in these parts. I'm Maya, and this is Landronan.'

`Pleased to meet you, Avon,' Landronan said.

`Look, you've got us here, now just tell us what you want,' Avon said briskly.

`Good, I like that, straight to business,' Landronan said. `The fact of the matter is, I need a favour.'

`What's in it for us? I'm afraid we're not in the business of helping out others merely for the fun of it.'

`Oh, there's something in it for you other than fun, Avon. How about a large remuneration, and the chance to cause a little havoc that may just be at the Federation's expense?'

`I may just be interested,' Tarrant said.

`In case you'd forgotten, Tarrant, you're not a one-man band any more,' Avon shot at him. `Tell me more, Landronan.'

`Call me Dro, all my friends do.' He tried to meet Avon's gaze, failed, and carried on. `The Federation have recently made several abortive attempts to retake the Santer system because of its mineral wealth. I think they've given up for now.'

`Given up?' Tarrant's face was quizzical. `Doesn't sound like the Federation.'

`Part of the reason is that the place is so disorganised, the planets are not only not talking to each other, but are also prone to civil war. It's hard to be an invading force when the people you're trying to take over are so interested in fighting each other you can't find a single collaborator amongst them. They would need massive planet-wide troop deployments on every world to keep the people down. A logistical nightmare.'

`It's what made smuggling such an easy business, I remember.' Tarrant grinned at some memory.

Maya smiled. `It was fun, wasn't it? Anyway, Santer II, the most volatile in the system, is just embarking on its annual cat-fight. Which means it's time to go in and steal the Nijo Memorial Stone.'

`Explain,' Avon said.

`The stone was erected when the planet was colonised as a memorial to the leader of the first group of settlers,' Landronan said. `These days the East and West hemispheres are forever trying to settle diplomatic incidents, which degrade into violence with great regularity. They're reasonably underdeveloped worlds, no sophisticated weapons or anything.'

`Where does the stealing of this memorial stone come into it?' Tarrant asked.

`While they're engaged in their fisticuffs, we sneak in, steal the stone, and hold it to ransome on one of the other worlds in the system. It's so precious to them that they'll always pay whatever we ask to get it back.'

`I still don't see what's in it for us,' Avon said sharply.

`We have to move quickly while the in-fighting's at its peak. Each time the stone is returned to them, they build better and better defences around it. We're also not sure where they're keeping it now... And besides, I've been offered another, equally lucrative job and can't do both. I was thinking Maya could go with you as a guide on Santer II while I nip off and do this other job. Should only take a day or two.'

`Presumably the more chaos that's created round here, the less chance they have of being taken by the Federation,' Tarrant mused. `What's the payment?'

`Like the man said,' Maya gazed straight at Tarrant. `Whatever you ask. The worlds may be underdeveloped, but they're mineral-rich and very, very wealthy. To the point where sentimental value is more important than actual credits.'

Tarrant spoke into his bracelet. `You getting all this, Cally?'

`Sounds interesting, I think we should go for for it.'

Tarrant turned to his crewmate. `What do you say, Avon?'

Avon's expression took on a slightly resigned look. `Why not,' he said, and turned to Landronan. `Will they pay us in  _cash_?'   
    
 

Maya accompanied Tarrant and Avon back to the Liberator, and after awakening a rather disgruntled Vila, a plan was formulated.

`Tarrant, Cally and I will go down to Santer II with Maya and meet her contact there. Dayna will operate the teleport and keep a sharp eye out for any Federation visitors. And Vila...' Avon paused and turned to his crewmate. `... Vila will stay awake and ready to go in the event we need to open anything.'

`You mean I don't have to go down to that hell-hole of a planet, but I also can't go back to bed?' Vila whined.

`Right.' The protest was dismissed with a word.

Cally remained practical. `Anything else we need to know before we go?'

Maya frowned. `There won't be any Federation troops, but last thing I heard was that their intelligence operation was well-organised and very covert. So don't talk to  _anyone_. There's also the risk of getting caught-up in whatever local battles are going on, so be wary of that, too. The first place we'll try is the main spaceport. It's something of a den of iniquity, even by the rock-bottom standards of this system, and now the in-fighting has escalated there probably won't be much in the way of law and order.'

`Which is to our advantage, presumably,' Tarrant put in.

`As far as stealing the stone goes, yes, plus everybody carries a gun, so we won't stand out on that count, either. It makes actually tracking it down difficult though. I can't understand why they didn't think to move it years ago. But my contact is reliable, and as good a place to start as any.'

Tarrant leapt up, full of enthusiasm. `Let's go get rich, then.'

`Tarzian warg strangler,' Vila muttered under his breath.

`What?'

`Oh, nothing.'   
    
 

Avon, Cally, Tarrant and Maya's first view of the surface of Santer II was a seedy back alley in the spaceport. Apart from themselves, it contained large piles of garbage, an unholy smell and a heap of greenish-blue flesh with numerous tentacles, which stirred and emitted a series of groans and clicking sounds as they picked their way past it. Avon's normally impassive face couldn't help register a certain amount of distaste at his surroundings.

They emerged from the alley into the street.

It was indeed, as Vila had described it, a hell-hole. Noisy bars with brightly-lit frontages lined the street to the left and to the right, with any number of weird and wonderful creatures plying their various disreputable trades in doorways and along the sidewalk. Small one- and two-person transits cruised along the street, stopping occasionally to pick up a passenger or a cache of some illegal substance. Fresh from the relative calm of their ship, the three members of Liberator's crew were slightly taken aback at this raucous, aromatic, anarchic scene, and stood around gawping for a moment or two. Avon came to his senses first and spoke in a low voice.

`Right, we all know what we're doing. Cally and I will scout around and see what we can find out.'

`Remember to be discreet,' Maya warned.

`Telepathy's amazingly discreet,' Cally said. `Avon, I think I'm looking forward to this.'

`Come on then. Tarrant, report when you've met up with Maya's contact. And remember - any sign of trouble -  _get out_. No heroics.'

`Oh, you can trust me, Avon.'

`That's what I'm afraid of. Let's go.'

Tarrant watched the two of them stroll innocently down the street for a moment, until Maya's voice cut in.

`Looks like it's just the two of us.'

He turned to her, a delighted smile plastered across his features.

`I think I can handle that. Lead on.'

They started off down the street in the opposite direction to that taken by Avon and Cally, and Tarrant felt an assault on his senses of a kind that he had not experienced for some time. Sights, smells and sounds, together with the flood of memories of his `old' life and the closeness of the woman beside all caught him more off guard than he would have liked to admit. The life of a freedom-fighter was rapidly losing its appeal by the second.

`Why did you leave me, Del?'

If Tarrant's senses were reeling before, they now received a complete body blow with this unexpected question, and he actually stopped in his tracks. Maya caught his arm before he collided headlong with two lowlifes engaged in what looked like a drug deal.

`Your timing leaves a lot to be desired,' he hissed, shaking his arm free and carrying on walking. Maya took two or three quick, long strides to catch him up.

`Sorry. I just couldn't play the ice-queen any longer, being here with you just brought everything back.'

`And I suppose you thought I was impervious to that and needed an emotional battering ram to make me aware of it.'

`Sorry.'

`Stop saying sorry.'

`Sorry... look, we're here.'

They were outside an especially seedy looking bar, guarded by a doorman whom Tarrant thought was possibly the fiercest looking being he'd ever seen... until they went inside.

It was dimly lit, with loud music throbbing from the walls and crowded with what seemed like a representative from every solar system in the galaxy. Maya fought her way through the crowd to a secluded corner table, Tarrant following close behind, one hand constantly on his gun.

`Maya, darling, how lovely to see you, do sit down.'

The table was occupied by a humanoid, obviously female, with pale flesh, a pointed head dominated by huge silver eyes and topped with swathes of silver hair, and four upper limbs. Tarrant knew that, because he counted them. Twice. Her clothing was minimal but tasteful and she was smoking some sort of tube which ran out of sight under the table.

By this point, Tarrant was somewhat at sixes and sevens. This was all too much for a pilot to take at once. Maya slid into a seat on the bench around the table, and he rather awkwardly sat down in the only other available seat, beside the exotic looking creature, who immediately placed on of her four hands on his leg.

`Aren't you going to introduce me to your pretty friend?' the pale creature asked.

`Tarrant, this is Oolak; Oolak, meet Del Tarrant.'

`Er... pleased to meet you, Oolak.'

Oolak purred and drew deeply on her smoking tube. `Three large adrenaline and somas, if you'd be so kind.' Tarrant thought she was addressing him, until he realised a waiter in the form of a small robot had appeared on his left. `Darling, I haven't got long, I've got an appointment with the second minister for home affairs, and I can't be late  _again_. He's so very stressed, what with the world the way it is at the moment.'

`That's why we're here,' Maya responded. `We need information.'

There was a brief hiatus as the drinks arrived. Oolak managed to pass Maya her drink, hold on to her smoking tube and start a gentle caress of Tarrant's thigh all at the same time. The minute Tarrant's glass was in front of him he took a large gulp, and tried to arrange his features into impassive listening mode.

`What do you need to know, sweetie?'  _Stroke, stroke, stroke_.

`The current location of the Nijo Memorial Stone, what else would it be at this time of year?'

Oolak laughed, a throaty sensual laugh. `Ah well, for that, I'll need to use something to relax my client... Normally if I promise him certain...  _types_  of favours, he'll tell me whatever's on his mind.' As she said  _types_ , she gave Tarrant's leg an extra squeeze. He swallowed what remained in his glass. `For something as classified as this, it'll need some of the lovely relaxant I use on clients who look like they might be less than cooperative.'

Maya was businesslike. `Use whatever methods you need. It'll be the usual payment, plus something a bit special, since it is, as you said, rather classified information. Tarrant?  _Tarrant!_ '

He came to his senses with a start. `Er yes. Hold on...' He struggled with his pocket for a moment, and managed finally to extricate the small bag of gems they'd brought from the Liberator treasure room.

`Be careful, you don't know who's watching!' Maya whispered sharply. Tarrant managed to open the bag enough to show Oolak what was in it.

`Mmm, I like what I see...' she said, pulled the drawstrings of the bag tight, and replaced it delicately in Tarrant's pocket.

`Can you meet us back here afterwards?' Maya asked.

`Of course. If that's what you have to offer, just try and keep me away...' the caressing had resumed. `I'll see you back at this table in one and a half standard hours.' She looked pointedly at Tarrant, and he gazed blankly back at her. `If you wouldn't mind...'

`What? Oh, yes, sorry.' Tarrant struggled to his feet and Oolak glided out from behind the table.

`See you presently.' She floated off and disappeared into the crowd.

Tarrant sat back down and studied his empty glass. He felt very warm.

`So,' Maya said. `We have some time to kill. Do you want another drink?'

`Yes, whatever.'

`Or they rent rooms upstairs by the hour.'

Tarrant turned his head slowly to look at her. She was grinning slightly licentiously.

`You don't mess around.' A small smile inched its way across his face.

Maya raised an eyebrow. `Well?'

Tarrant, still flustered after Oolak's antics, felt his self-discipline being stretched almost to the limit.  _It would be nice, but_... He sighed with a small amount of regret.

`It's an inviting idea, but I think I should save my strength.'

`You under-estimate yourself.'

`Besides, I can just imagine Avon's voice butting in as it's getting interesting. He has a way of doing that.'

It was Maya's turn to sigh. `You're right. Sorry.'

`I thought I told you to stop saying sorry.'

`You did. Now... where's that servobot?'   
    
 

They talked, drank, ate some of the inedible snack food that the `waiter' brought them, and generally relived the frantic couple of months they'd spent together. Tarrant gradually felt himself relaxing into the mindset he'd been in when he spent half his time in places like this. It was easy, no-one cared what you said or did; no tetchy, know-it-all supercomputers - or tetchy, know-it-all crewmates, come to think of it. Go where you want, when you want, just keep your head down.

_What am I doing on the Liberator?_

It wasn't the first time Tarrant had asked himself that question, but it was the first time he actually found himself genuinely puzzled as to the answer.

_It's the best ship in the galaxy. You're fighting an honourable fight for justice in the face of totalitarianism._

He laughed at some anecdote Maya was recalling.

_No you're not. You just like feeling that ship under your control, being able to tell Vila what to do, and every once in a blue moon actually feeling as though Avon respects you._

It was this thought that made him pull himself up short.

_Since when has gaining Avon's respect been important?_

He frowned, and shook his head slowly.

`You OK, Del?'

`Sorry. Just remembered something, that's all.'

`Nothing important you've forgotten?'

`No, nothing important...'

He was cut off by his bracelet chirping.

` _Tarrant. Come in , Tarrant,_ '

He sighed. `Go ahead, Avon.'

` _Have you found anything?_ '

`Contact made, we're just waiting for news ourselves.'

` _How long? We're hitting dead ends all over the place, Tarrant, this may turn out to be a wild goose chase you've brought us on_.'

Tarrant grimaced at Maya. She shook her head firmly.

`Maya's confident it'll work out.'

`Where are they?' she asked.

`Where are you?'

` _We went due east from where we left you, we're now at a large building with blue windows. There's some sort of large fenced-off compound a couple of blocks away.'_

`Tell them to hang fire and we'll get back to them,' Maya advised.

Tarrant spoke into his bracelet again. `Try and stay put. We'll know more very shortly.'

He could hear Avon and Cally conferring. ` _Tarrant, I went along with this because I thought it might be profitable, but I'm starting to regret it. You've got an hour, then we're leaving. All of us. Got that?_ '

`Don't worry, Avon, it won't be long... in fact we're about to hear something now. Will report in a moment. Out.' He cut Avon off before he could respond.

Oolak was strolling gracefully through the melee towards them. Her hips swung gently as she walked, but Tarrant was prepared this time and kept his mind on the task in hand as she sat down rather closer to him than was necessary.

`You'll be glad to know your baby's turned up safe and well,' Oolak said guardedly. `They're holding it in an outbuilding near the main admin centre, so you should be able to retrieve it without too much trouble.'

`There? Really?' Maya sounded unconvinced.

`The news came from where I told you it would,' Oolak retorted pertly. `I also stumbled across...' she leaned forward so as not to be overheard, and whispered `...the location of the Fed operations centre. Give me your location finder.' Maya handed her a small electronic notepad, and after inputting the co-ordinates Oolak handed it back. `Now...' she said, in a much smoother tone, her hand going straight for Tarrant's leg again. `My reward?'

Tarrant stood up quickly, retrieved the bag of gems from his pocket, and sat down, before placing it in Oolak's hand under the table.

`Anything else I can do for you?' she purred.

`No, I think we're done here, thanks babes, you've been a fantastic help,' Maya said, standing up and making as if to leave. Tarrant followed suit, aware that Oolak's eyes never left him for a second.

`Nice to meet you,' he said politely.

`Pleasure all mine, darling. Do come back soon.' Tarrant turned, to find that Maya had already begun to make her way towards the door, and backed away from the table, trying to smile and not appear to be in too much of a rush to get away. After knocking over one of the serving robots, he turned and fought his way through the throng to the exit. Maya was waiting outside.

`Walk with me.' Without waiting for him to either respond or follow, she tucked her arm in his and set off down the street at a gentle `we're-just-out-for-an-evening-stroll' pace.

Tarrant was anxious. `I have to let Avon know what's happening.'

`Looks like he's going to be busy. If they're where they say they are, the large, fenced-off compound he mentioned is the main admin centre, so they can get the stone without too much trouble.' She paused, pulling her notepad out of her pocket, saying thoughtfully, `It just seems too easy.'

`Maybe that's why they're keeping it there. The most obvious place is also the least obvious?'

`Perhaps... Anyway, while they're doing that, we can head  _here_  and do a little sabotage.' She waved the notepad under Tarrant's nose and then stuck it back in her pocket. `It'll require some breaking and entering, but that shouldn't be a problem.'

Tarrant arranged his features into an expression of modesty. `Neither breaking and entering nor sabotage feature on my list of skills and talents,' he said.

`Oh, so what does then? Apart from being charming, debonair and exceedingly handsome?'

Tarrant felt something in his gut automatically tighten in response to this.  _Now I remember why I left. She got... boring. Too available_. However, rather than rock the boat at this stage, it seemed easier to go along with her.

`Being possibly the best pilot in the galaxy.'

`Oh sorry, I forgot about that. Your modesty level hasn't improved since I last saw you, then.'

`Despite Avon's best efforts...' He stopped. `We'd better let him know what's happening. Can you give them the instructions they need?'

`Of course.'

`And if we're going to be breaking and entering, we're going to need some help. Give me the co-ordinates and I'll summon Vila out of his bed.'   
    
 

`Vila, you knew this was probably going to happen,' Dayna said, watching Vila huff and puff as he gathered his equipment together.

`Yes, but I don't have to like it, do I? Sometimes I think Tarrant...' he looked at Dayna, who had returned her concentration to the game they had been playing. `Oh never mind, I'll just go and get it over with.'

`I think that's probably the best idea.'

`Don't you dare cheat while I'm gone, Orac.'

`Since I am incapable of cheating, the likelihood of this happening could not possibly increase with your absence,' Orac retorted.

`Mm, touchy!' Dayna looked up and smiled at Vila. He melted.

`Do I  _really_  have to go? I was enjoying myself, even if I was losing...'

`Here, look.' Dayna poured Vila a large drink. `I'll have this chilled and waiting for your return. And I promise I won't cheat on the game either.'

Vila sighed. `OK. Do you have the co-ordinates? You'd better come and teleport me down.'

`You know it makes sense. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back.'   
    
 

` _Tarrant. Tarrant! Where the hell are you, Tarrant?'_  Vila's voice spoke angrily out of Tarrant's bracelet.

`Vila, we'll be with you in...' they rounded a corner, to be greeted by Vila, tense and irate. `...one second.' Tarrant gave his crewmate his best beaming smile, to no effect whatsoever.

`Took your time, didn't you?' The thief was obviously nervous. `Come on, let's get this over with. Where's the locked door?'

`Behind you,' Maya said.

`Here?' Vila turned to survey the task in hand, opened his kit and got to work. `If this place is the centre of Federation operations, why isn't there a single guard in sight?... There.' The door emitted a click, and he gave it a little push to prove it was no longer in their way.

`It's the centre of their  _undercover_  operations, Vila,' Maya explained. `They're hardly going to advertise their presence with a 3-metre fence and searchlights.'

`Fine. Whatever. You can go in now.' He snapped shut his toolkit and raised his bracelet to his mouth. Tarrant put a restraining hand on his arm.

`Sorry, Vila, your work isn't done yet.'

`What?' As if on cue, Tarrant's bracelet spoke.

` _Tarrant. Where's Vila? We need him here now. We've been standing here looking suspicious for longer than is necessary_.'

Vila rolled his eyes. `I should have known it was too good to be true.'

Tarrant smiled. `He's on his way, Avon.' He clapped Vila on the shoulder. `You should be glad you're so much in demand. Besides, you'll have Maya for company, that should help.' Tarrant had seen the chance to loosen the grip he had already felt her begin to exert on him, and seized it.

She was taken aback. `I thought I was going to help you here.'

`You'll be more use showing Vila where to go.'

`Quite right. I hate to travel alone.'

Maya sighed. `Come on then. We'll take a transit car. Appearing out of thin air will be the quickest way to attract suspicion. Here.' She thrust the notepad bearing the instructions from Oolak into Tarrant's hand and they hurried away. Vila walked a pace behind Maya (the better to admire the view), and Maya threw Tarrant a final, annoyed glare over her shoulder.

Tarrant smiled, shaking his head, and turned to the now unlocked door. He pushed it open tentatively and stepped inside.

He found himself in a long corridor lined with numbered doors. Checking his gun was set to `stun' he made his way along it as nonchalantly as possible. Thanking Lady Luck that he had so far encountered not a single soul, he had almost reached the end of the corridor when a door opened and he collided rather inelegantly with the person who emerged. His hand went to his gun automatically, but he managed to check his reaction as the person recovered their senses and looked him full in the face.

`Del Tarrant?' The stranger peered at him. `Tarrant it  _is_  you. I'd know that hair anywhere.' Tarrant continued to look blankly at him, trying desperately to dredge up the person's face from his memory. He was short, with oiled-back hair and dressed in a Federation uniform.

`Er... sorry...'

`Call yourself an undercover agent?'  _Ah, so that's what he thinks I'm doing here_. `Don't you remember? At the FSA. We did the same particle physics class. You were teacher's pet and I was madly jealous. Randal. Randal Westor. Where have you been?'

`Westor!...'  _I still don't remember you_... He shook Westor's proffered hand warmly, thanking Lady Luck once again that for some reason this old acquaintance wasn't terribly well acquainted with recent editions of the Federation's Most Wanted List.

`I'm just on my way out... would you like to grab some dinner?' Westor indicated the exit, and Tarrant suddenly saw an easy way to achieve his aim. `I'm afraid not, Westor. Some other time. But you could help me... I just got assigned here yesterday...'

`Ah... I was wondering why I hadn't seen you around.'

`Er, yes... and I'm a bit lost. Could you point me to the admin office?'

`Of course!! But they'll be no-one there at this time, you know that...' Westor gave Tarrant detailed instructions. `Well, I'd best be off, meeting this lovely girl so can't be late. Guess I'll see you around.'

Tarrant shot him.

`I doubt that ...' he dragged Westor's unconscious form into the room he'd just left and locked him in a storage cupboard. `Sorry about your dinner date,' he told the cupboard. `I just couldn't risk you remembering what had happened to me.'

 _Now... the admin office_...

What Westor lacked in particle physics ability, he made up for with his detailed and accurate directions to Tarrant's destination of choice. And so it was that he found himself in the room that held the key to the Federation's operations on Santer II. Unlike the building itself, this room  _was_ guarded, but he easily dispensed with the unfortunate soldier and dumped him unceremoniously in the corner of the office, before sitting down before a computer terminal.

`Let's see... agents' assignments... information about who's who in the government... what's this?'

It was the rota for the kitchen staff.

Tarrant considered having fun rearranging all the agents' assigned tasks and even putting some of them on kitchen detail, but decided in the end that time was of the essence.

He erased the lot.

`Dayna... bring me up.'

Dayna was slightly taken aback when Tarrant shimmered into view.

`You look like the proverbial cat that got the cream,' she said. `Have fun with your old girlfriend, did you?'

Tarrant laughed. `Sorry to disappoint you, Dayna, nothing like that at all... Is Vila back yet?'

`No, and he's miserable.'

`Put me back down a little way away from where they are, and I'll see if I can't give them a hand. I should really say goodbye to Maya, too.'

`What a gentleman.'

`I know, I just can't help it...' His expression grew thoughtful. `I thoroughly abandoned her once before, and much as I'd like her to get the message, it just wouldn't be honourable to do it again. And she has helped me sabotage the Federation's entire undercover operation on the planet.'

`Really?' Dayna smiled at the news. Or it could have been at Tarrant's desire to be `honourable'. `So not an entirely wasted journey, then.'

`I didn't  _force_  any of you to come.'

`Tarrant, it was easier to go along with you, since we didn't have anything else pressing on.'

`Oh, you all decided that, did you? Great. Thank you so much for your support.'

`Stop being so sensitive and get back down there where you belong,' Dayna's tone wasn't unkind.

`Yes, dear.'   
    
 

Tarrant materialised in yet another stinking alleyway and checked Maya's notepad. The street was still teeming with the dregs of Santer's society as he hurried in the direction of where the others were working on stealing the Nijo Stone. It was slightly further than he had anticipated. Finally he turned the corner of the block where Santer's administration building was located.  _Should be just round here_...

The world exploded.

Tarrant was knocked to the ground by the shockwave emanating from the blast, and it took him a moment to recover his senses and stand up. The place was in chaos. People were running in all directions, and it wasn't until he checked his co-ordinates that he realised the blast had come from exactly where he had been heading.

_Oh no... no..._

He started towards the heart of the explosion at a run. The fence around the complex had been completely flattened, and most of the buildings were damaged to some extent. The blast had obviously originated in one of the outbuildings, and it quickly became clear as Tarrant ran frantically around, screaming his crewmates' names, that they must have been caught at the very epicentre.

` _Cally_!' She had been thrown clear by the blast, and lay on the ground, injured but alive and slowly coming around. Tarrant knelt down beside her. `Cally! Can you hear me? Where are the others?' She was unable to respond and Tarrant looked around for help that wasn't coming. People were still rushing everywhere, some in what looked like official garb, but none of them were taking the slightest notice of him kneeling beside Cally's prone figure.

`Dayna. Come in Dayna.'

`Tarrant?'

`Can you get a signal lock on Cally?'

`Hang on... yes, why?.'

` _Just bring her up!_ ' he shouted. Standing up, he carried on his search. It was with mounting dread that he approached the pile of rubble in front of him and saw a pair of familiar-looking boots sticking out of the bottom of it. Yelling Avon's name, he started to fling aside moveable pieces of brickwork, to find to his relief that the top half of a wall had fallen piecemeal and was lying at an angle against the bottom half, leaving Avon trapped and dazed but otherwise uninjured. Tarrant quickly shifted enough masonry that he could crawl under the broken-off wall and ensure that Avon was OK before dragging him out. He was muttering `Booby-trap... no chance...'

Tarrant ran his hands over Avon's body, checking for serious injury, before peering back into the gap from which he had just pulled his crewmate.

It was then that he saw Maya.

She had not been as fortunate as Avon had been. The remainder of the wall further along had collapsed completely, leaving no protection as the building fell in.

Tarrant, already on his knees, sank his forehead to the ground in front of him and grabbed a handful of dust in each fist.

_Vila..._

He jerked upright, smacking his head on the unstable collapsed wall above him, and shuffled backwards out of the cubby-hole.

`Avon...  _Avon_! Where's Vila?'

But Avon had fallen into unconsciousness.

In anguish, Tarrant started flinging aside rubble from the pile, shouting Vila's name desperately, driven by an empowering mix of fear and guilt. When, after a minute or two he had barely managed to dent what remained of the building, he gave up in despair and trudged back over to where Avon's unconscious form decorated his bleak surroundings.  _I need human contact._ Tarrant sat for a moment, absently holding Avon's head in his lap, then spoke into his bracelet.

`Two to teleport, Dayna.'

`Only two?'

` _Just do it!!!_ ' he almost sobbed.   
    
 

They must made quite a tableau as they materialised in the teleport bay, Tarrant thought, him kneeling beside his helpless crewmates. Dayna rushed over to them immediately.

`Where's...?'

`Don't ask. Just help me get them to the resuscitation unit.'

Cally, now almost conscious, half-walked and was half-carried by Dayna. Tarrant braced himself and managed to pick up Avon and follow the two women to the resuscitation unit. After laying Avon down, he turned and headed for the door without saying another word, praying that Dayna wouldn't question him further. He started to make for his cabin, but then changed his mind mid-stride and headed for the flight deck instead. Better to work, he thought. Try and focus on something and ignore the noise in my head.

He made straight for his station and started running some routine checks.

_You can't delay the inevitable. The others are going to want to retrieve Vila's body. And Avon's in no state to do anything about it. So it's down to you._

`You look like you need a drink.'

Tarrant slowly raised his head and directed his gaze at the couch on the flight deck, fully expecting to find that the voice had been some sort of hysteria-induced imagination.

`Vila?' He finally got the thief's name out.

`Were you expecting someone else? Sorry to disappoint you. What happened, did you managed to get the stone?'

As Vila spoke, Tarrant slowly made his way down to where Vila was sitting.

`I thought you were dead!'

`Oh well, you know what they say, can't have everything,' Vila responded. `Where's Maya? She was nice.' He paused and frowned. `Hang on. Why would I be dead?'

Tarrant sank on to the couch beside Vila and took the glass he offered.

`There was an explosion. In the building they were breaking into.' He swallowed a good quantity of alcohol. `Maya's dead.'

`Oh.' Vila stared into his glass, shoulders hunched.

`Since I couldn't find you, I assumed you were under a pile of rubble.'

`Never do that if I can avoid it. I came back to the ship after I'd done what I was told. Avon made it clear I was in the way.'

Tarrant leaned back and stared at the ceiling. He was suddenly very tired. Dayna's voice broke into his meditation.

`Tarrant, Vila, we might as well get out of here. Cally's doing fine but Avon's going to take a while to recover. He had a nasty bump on the head.'

Vila raised an eyebrow. `No chance that it might have completely altered his personality, or anything?'

`Sorry Vila, none at all. Let's go.'

Tarrant sat up. `I agree. No point hanging around any longer.'

_`Liberator, this is Astral Cloud, do you copy?'_

Oh, no.

With mounting dread, Tarrant opened the communication channel to respond to Landronan's hail.

`Dro, this is Tarrant. I copy. We... er... ran into some problems.'

The voice that replied caused Tarrant's heart to somersault and leap into his mouth.

`Tarrant. What a pity you're alive. It seems my little scheme didn't go quite as planned. Please don't tell me you  _all_  got out unscathed?'

Tarrant was too stunned to speak. It was Vila who scrambled over him and operated the main viewer. A woman's smiling face greeted them.

`Servalan! What the hell has this got to do with you?'

Landronan's face appeared on the screen beside Servalan's. `Remember I said I had another job to do? Well it was terribly profitable.' He smiled. `I assume Maya will be staying with you.'

Tarrant leapt to his feet, furious. `Maya's dead, you bastard!'

`Oh well. I assume that it was she who led you to our headquarters. Neat little piece of sabotage, that. I applaud you. Shouldn't take long to get it all back on line though. Just a few days' disruption.'

`You're a Federation agent!' Tarrant yelled.

`Oh well  _done_  Tarrant,' Servalan purred. `You're not just a pretty face then. Well, it's been lovely talking to you, but I must go.' She turned to Landronan and ran her index finger down his cheek. `Blast them out of existence.'

The screen went blank.

`Come on Vila!' Tarrant practically leapt back to his station and started to make evasive manoeuvres.

`Plasma bolt fired and running,' Vila reported.

`Let's get out of here,' Tarrant said. As he brought the ship up to speed, the plasma bolt rapidly dwindled to nothing on the screen. Tarrant leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes and let his breath out slowly.

`So it was a trap,' Vila said grimly. `Servalan was behind the whole thing. You're lucky the lot of you didn't end up spread all over the landscape.'

`Thank you for the comforting words, Vila,' Tarrant replied, without opening his eyes.

`I don't think it would be a good idea to tell Avon, though. That you led him into a Federation trap. He won't be pleased at all.'

`Again, thank you. I'll bear that in mind.'

`Right, well. If I'm not needed here, I'll go and check in on the patients.'

Tarrant heard a clinking and pouring sound.

`I've left you another drink. I'll...er... just be off then.'

Tarrant listened while Vila's light footsteps went down the corridor from the flight deck and faded.

He didn't open his eyes.


End file.
